Results of a survey released at the end of 2023 show the country’s biggest river tallied about 31,000 angler days and topped the list of most popular places to fish in Otago.
"It’s no surprise the Clutha River/Mata-Au is so popular," Otago Fish & Game chief executive Ian Hadland said.
"It’s highly productive and accessible at so many places as it flows from Lake Wānaka to the sea for more than 300km."
The findings were revealed in the 2021-22 National Angler Survey Report completed by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa).
Conducted every seven years, it records angling activity for all lake, river and canal fisheries managed by Fish & Game.
Data was collected on the number of angling days for each fishery, counting one angler fishing on one day regardless of hours spent fishing.
About 15,000 people were surveyed across the 2021-22 season.
Otago anglers showed a slight preference for lakes, with just over half of sports fishing occurring in still waters where upper catchment lakes including Wakatipu, Wānaka , Dunstan and Hāwea were the most highly fished.
The three most-fished rivers were the Clutha/Mata-Au, with about 31,000 angler days, followed by the Waimakariri (30,500) and the Rakaia (19,200), both in Canterbury.
Closer to home, Clutha district anglers tended to be savvy around the two mouths of the Clutha River where sport-fishing and sea fishing opportunities are available on the same day.
Nearer Dunedin, the lower Taieri was the region’s second-most popular river fishery.
"This data also helps to direct our compliance focus on where fishing activity is at its highest. Rangers will be out checking licences at all these fishing hot spots this summer."
Otago Fish & Game region had one of the highest uptakes of fishing licences nationally at almost 8% of the population.
"The numbers show that people strongly value the opportunity to fish close to home... fishing is an integral part of the lifestyle in the lower half of the South Island," Mr Hadland said.
"Fish & Game understands how important these rivers are to anglers and it’s why we have such a high level of focus environmentally to advocate for the health of these catchments."
- Staff reporter
